Radio vacuum tube socket



Oct. 12,1926. 1,603,121 c. R. KRONE I RADIO VACUUM TUBE SOCKET Filed Jan. 17, 1924 Patented Oct. 12, 1926;.

UNITED STATES 1,603,12 ice.

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RADIO VACUUM TUBE SOCKET.

Application filed January 17, 1924. serial No. 686,865

vide a socket which will cooperate with thebase of standard tubesand afiord means of elastically supporting within the socket such a tube selectively in either contact or break positions of terminals, also means of automatically locking'this socket against casual removal of the tube from the socket through vibration or inept manipulation.

The above objects are realized in my socket construction shown in the drawings, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my socket, Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in pers ective of the upper part of the socket omitting the retaining ring, Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of Figure 1 as seen from the line 3-3 thereof, showing the lower portion of a standard bulb in alignment above the socket, Figure t shows myimproved locking slot applied to the end of a socket, and Figure 5 is a schematic plan of the same indicating the path of an imaginary center of a pin on its transit from one 'fixed point of'lodgment within the slot to the other.

Before describing my socket in detail attention is called to the presentgeneral'construction of the base of most radio bulbs as indicatedin Figure 3, where (1) represents the bulb, (2) the base, (3) a plurality of terminals for the bulb elements and adapted to contact the spring terminals (4) extendmg over'the socket space from the binding posts (5) secured to the insulating plate (6) at the lower end of the socket tube, (7).

The base (2) of the bulbhas an aligning pin (8) which fits into a slotfin the socket for aligning the pro er terminals (3) and (4) when the base 0 the bulb is in the position of contact within the socket.

This aligning is accomplished by the use I, of a bayonet joint slot (9) with anotch (10 may as'indicated in Figure 2 from whichit wi be readily understood that the radio tube be inserted or withdrawn as the pin (8) is locked in, or withdrawn from, the notch (10). V

This method, however, makes ithecessary to remove the bulb en'tlrely from the socket 'in disconnecting it from the terminals and to provide a place for it when so removed,

as 1t is easily injured. Under conditions of and the alignin special stress as on board ship, moving trains anger. for I and other vehicles there arises the tube to jar out and fall from the socket. improvements involve a lengthening ot the axial-slot (9) so that the tube may be pushed in and out to make or break the contacts, a nonconductor washer (11) resting upon the springs (4:) and supporting a splral spring (12) which on its part gives tube and normally tends to push it away from the terminals (4) and against the notches of the slot (9), and a retaining device or. ring (13) for preventing the pin (8) and the tube base (2) from being forced clear out of the socket.

This ring (13) is shown in Figures 1 and 3 as applied to a standard radio tube socket (7) and secured by 'a thumb screw' (14) threaded into the ring, its free'end regiscontinuous elastic support to the base of the tering in a hole (14') in the side of the standard socket.

In the Figure 3 to the socket tube is shown. A shoulder (15) formed on the ring rests on the edge of the socket tube and by a notch (16) registering with the slot (9) of the'socket tube extends this slot as proposed. This increase indicated at X in Figure 3 permits the aligning pin to be pushedbeyond the original confines of the socket, whereby the terminals (3) springs (4) of the socket, whilethe bulb remains confined within the socket.

To entirely remove the radio tube or to insert it, the thumbscrew (14:) is unscrewed far enough to clear it from the hole (14) in the socket tube, then the ring (13) is lifted vertically upward until the transverse slot (18) clears the edge of the socket tube whereby to-complete above the edge ofthe s(oc)ket a passage between the two axial -sljots 9 (8) of the tube may be pushed out ofzthe socket thus freeing the bulb for removal.

are separated from the contact and (17) along which the aligning pin When the ring is put back into place the Y rim of the socket closes again the passag along the slot (18). It, before the ring was pushed back into place, the bulb was inserted into the socket,

pin successively entered the slots (17), 18) and (9), and if then the ring was-pushed back'into place it will be found that the alignihg pin (8) remains elastically supported at the notch (16) and that the. terminals (3) of the bulb arenot in touch with the contact springs (4). of

' the socket.

aligning pin to descend iii the'slot-( To make contact between the terminals (3) and (4) the bulb is pushed'down against the opposing spring pressure, causi1)1g the 9 then turned toward the notch (10) of the slot andv released, whereby the spring (12) is i made to hold the aligning pin against the the aligning pin within f-has, for any cause, left pends upon the upward ,ing seclirity to its suppor notch (10). It must not be overlooked that, whn the pin is lodged at the notch (10), the contact springs (4) of the socket bear against the terminals (3) of the bulb add- In Figure 4 is shown my locking slot device modified as it would appear if it were made integral with the socket tube thereby doing away with airauxiliary-ring and its attachment to a standard socket. The various parts of the slots described and functioning similarly are similarly numbered and primed as they. are also similarly numbered and 'primed in Figure 5.

Of course,-there being no other movable parts and no material wherewith to close the slot (18),'the security of lodgment of the socket after it the notch (10) depressure of the spi; ral spring (12) against the base of the bulb and'upon the manner in which this pressure indirectly aifects' the urge of the aligning pin in its trahsit from one fixed place'of odgment within the socket to the other.

To preventthe escape of the ali ning pin throughxthe transverse slot (18'), at the point where the latter slot opens the slot (9') intermediate its ends, I provide for a notch (19') and the forward projections (20) and (21) one above the other, as shown in Figure 5, which tend to direct the path Y of the pin away from the opening of the slot (18) and clear of any diverting obstruction and causing the aligning pin to arrive and safely lodge at the notch (16) of the slot (9)'until-intentionally removed by manipulation along the projection (21), the slots (18') and (17'), or is returned to'notch (10) of the slot (9').

In a device for use in connection with the vacuum tube socket of a radio circuit,'a body capable of attachment to the socket so that it may be moved in a curvilinear path thereabout, means for holding the body in a position of fixed adjustmept on the socket, and a slotted portion on said body having a part arranged for coaction with the' bayonet slot of the socket so. that the tube when (adjusted to one position will be advanced and held in circuit making position with the contact elements of the socket, and when adjusted to a second position will permit the tube to be positioned in circuit breaking position, and the said slotted portion emodying a second part adapted for coaction with the bayonet slot of the socket so as to permit the removal of the tube from the socket, and means on said body for locking the tube in the socket when the body is in a position of determined or fixed adjustment.

CARL RUDOLPH KRONE. 

